A Deed Unforgiven by LadySternchen  

Flashback- Lúthien

Lúthien could hardly swallow for the lump she felt in her throat, a terrible, sickening feeling of dread filling her guts. She had never imagined such horrors as they now discussed, and even by the merrily crackling fire and surrounded by people she had known all her life, and the dwarven craftsmen that had become friends, a chill crept up her back. Her father must have sensed her terror, for he laid a soothing arm around her shoulders, and drew her close.

“No elf would survive such a thing.” one of her mother’s handmaids said. “We would sometimes find them, back in the days of the ancient Shadow, those that had been taken, still clinging to a body that had become uninhabitable for them, because in their very flesh lay the memory of that terror. We found them writhing and squirming like their bodies were on fire, staring blindly ahead, unable to recognise any of us, until they would finally die. Nay, not pretty and very thankfully a thing of ages long past, as no elf would do that to another unless demons unheard of would ensnare their senses.”

Lúthien watched the dwarves across the fire. On many of their faces something like derisiveness showed for a moment, as if they were scorning the elves for their believing themselves to be above such crimes. The lord of Belegost, however, simply bowed his bearded head.

“Ai, the Eldar are a lucky race truly that they may flee their bodies. ’tis a torture to carry that memory, and be forced to live on. Especially when a child should come from that crime.”

All the elves made noises of dismay at this, and Lúthien felt her father tighten his hold on her seemingly inadvertently. She was glad of it, too, the security of his embrace easing the terror of that idea a little.

His voice was low when he answered: 
“That, too, is something our people cannot be subject to.”

The lord of Belegost again inclined his head.

“Aye, my King, that I have heard. Blessed your folk is indeed. And yet, I do not doubt that your Queen has not erred when warning us about the Shadow returning, and when he does, we both will be subject again to these terrors. Or so my heart fears."

Melian had sat in silence on Elu’s other side the entire time, staring into the dancing flames.

“Yes…” she said in a voice that was calm, though Lúthien could still feel the turmoil of her mother’s spirit. “…Melkor takes great pleasure in such torture. He always has.”

The implication of those simple words sunk through Lúthien like lead, making her heart heavy. A heaviness that would not leave her for days.